The Jersey Homes Trust has purchased part of the College Gardens development and will build 40 apartments on the site for the social rental market.

This latest acquisition is one of three sites which mark the beginning of a renewed period of development for the Trust, which is the second largest provider of social rented homes in Jersey. The others are Millbrook Gardens in Rue du Haut, St Lawrence, where four two-bedroom flats and a detached two-bedroom bungalow are currently under construction and due for completion early in 2017. In Grouville, 29 of the 35 houses planned for the former De La Mare’s nursery on Rue a Don will also be owned and managed by the JHT.

The acquisition of the Garrett Anderson House site at College Gardens will bring the Trust’s portfolio to 834 homes under management. The site will provide 37 one-bedroom and 3 two-bedroom units. Semi-basement parking will be provided for 29 tenants and the four-storey building will have lift access to all floors.

Commenting on the plans, the Chairman of the JHT, Michael Van Neste, said: ‘We are delighted to be part of the development of this iconic St Helier site. We are also relieved that after a period where the development of social rented housing was halted whilst a review into provision in this sector was carried out, that construction is now going ahead again. There is still a shortage of rental homes for those in need in our society.’

The Jersey Homes Trust was established over 20 years ago as a not-for-profit organisation to provide social rented homes. The work of the Trust is benchmarked annually against the performance of UK housing associations. The running of the JHT is outsourced allowing it to maintain a low-cost base despite operating in a high-cost environment.

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